Munster in the Woods
by Lucinda
Summary: Post Wild at Heart. Oz encounters another werewolf in a forest. Non-Shippy, one-shot.


Author: Lucinda  
  
main characters: Oz and Eddie Munster - not a pairing.  
  
there may be mention of past tense Oz/Willow.  
  
disclaimer: I hold no legal rights to Oz, Sunnydale, or the entire BtVS history - they were created by Joss Whedon and his writing staff. I hold no legal rights to the Munsters, although I can't remember who does.  
  
distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, Paula - anyone else please ask first.  
  
notes: This is a glimpse of what could have happened after Oz left Sunnydale. Set considerably after the Munsters series ended, and Eddie is all grown up now.  
  
Oz had parked the van near the empty dumpster, the two objects alone in the small paved area beside the state park. The moon would be full tonight, and he had nowhere secure to confine himself. No solid book cage in the school library, which they'd blown up. No crypt with bars. Not even a set of shackles and chains that he could throw in the back of the car and use when needed. The best that he could hope for would be to go somewhere that was far away from people, far enough away not to be a danger.  
  
He took off his jacket and shoes, draping them over the passenger seat of the van. He pulled off his shirt, folding it and putting it over the shoes. After a moment's debate, he decided not to remove the pants, just in case there was some wandering park official that might see him. Wouldn't do to be trying to explain why he was naked when the moon rose.  
  
Slowly, he meandered along the hiking trail, feeling the wood chips under his feet. Somewhere, a stream gurgled as it flowed over rocks, and birds were singing. Slapping at his arm, he realized that there were also mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the smells in all the bug repellants gave him terrible headaches, so he couldn't use them. But the air was slightly cool without being too cold, and there were only a few clouds without the scent of rain.  
  
Eventually, Oz was far enough into the park that he could no longer hear the sounds of the occasional car roaring past on the road. At that point, he turned off the path, walking on the cool earth, feeling it squish just a little between his toes. His skin seemed to prickle, a sign that the moon would be up soon. Not quite yet, but he could feel it getting closer. Inside, his wolf stirred, full of anticipation.  
  
Feeling a slight sense of urgency, Oz entered the small almost clearing. It was little more than a gap in the trees, caused by a larger tree falling down. But it was a wider space, and he could let his pants rest on the fallen tree. He was fairly certain that he'd want them in the morning. And then he felt the moon rise. It was a sort of prickling sensation, a combination of every nerve every fiber and cell of his body sort of waking up, and it felt like his whole body was stretching, tingling. For a moment, he was alive, only with amplification. And then... pain, as his bones stretched, some growing longer, others pulling inwards to be shorter. His jaw stretched outwards, his teeth reshaping themselves, pressing against the insides of his mouth and catching the sides of his tongue. Colors faded, but sounds became more intense, broader somehow. And the smells... there weren't words for it. But words weren't important anymore.  
  
Oz-Wolf howled into the forest, delighting in his surroundings. The air was clean, and the Taint of the Home-Place was gone, leaving him calmer and almost content. He could smell rabbits and deer, both of which would be good prey, and he knew that rabbit tasted sweet. This was a good place to awaken.  
  
There was another howl, not an echo, and not a lesser wolf of the sort that did not feel the power of the moon. No, this was another like himself, another changing wolf. The other's howl made it clear that he also found this to be a Good Place.  
  
Would there be a challenge? He'd only met two other changing wolves, one who was blood kin and young, and the other... his hackles raised at the thoughts of the she wolf. She had left him confused. At first, she had been a possible mate, but then... she had threatened... threatened the green smelling female. He liked the green female, and most of the time he knew that she was not for eating, but then she'd smelled so afraid after the she wolf's attack... It had been a Bad Thing. He had fought the she wolf then, and he'd won, although it had hurt. And then there had been the Big Fly, the one that bit and made him sleep... He hated the Big Flies. Would he have to fight this other wolf?  
  
Gradually, Oz-wolf left the clearing, finding a stream of running water. He drank, enjoying the cool water. As he looked up, the other wolf emerged from the trees. The Other was a bit older, no longer in the early strength as he was, but still powerful, still untouched by the fading of age. For a moment, their eyes locked, and everything else seemed to be pushed away, the importance lessened. Then, Oz-Wolf looked down, accepting that the other wolf was Leader. With a small noise, the other wolf made it clear that he should follow, and they loped off into the woods. Hunting under the older wolf's lead, they took down a deer, and feasted on it's flesh. It wasn't as sweet as rabbit, but there was much more of it.  
  
Stomachs full, they rested. All felt right with things, in a way that Oz-wolf couldn't remember things feeling right before. Was it the presence of the other wolf? Was it the distance from the Taint of Home? He didn't know, and wasn't certain that he cared. Questions were more important to his other self, the music maker.  
  
The sunlight caressed his face, waking Oz from his slumber. His wolf felt at peace, content in a way that he wasn't used to. Normally, his wolf just felt tired when he woke up after changing. Something nagged at him, another figure, dark fur, helping pull down a deer? Sitting up, he looked around the clearing. There was a man stretching beside a tree, a man with dark hair and the scent of wolf and deer's blood and forest clinging to him.  
  
"I didn't think most wolves traveled out like this." The man was looking at him, as if trying to figure him out.  
  
That was when Oz realized that the other man's ears were pointed, his skin held a slight greenish gray cast. It should have looked unhealthy, but instead it just made Oz wonder if he was quite human. "Road trip."  
  
"Ahhh." The other nodded, pulling a shirt onto his body, fingers busy with the buttons. His outfit seemed almost out of place, as if it was a remnant of an earlier time, another place. "Are you the only wolf in your family?"  
  
"Mostly. Not very common where I'm from." Oz grabbed his pants, giving them a shake to make certain that they were unoccupied. "I figured out here would be safer."  
  
"It's pretty annoying when people shoot at you. Or start screaming..." The guy shook his head, as if trying to get rid of the thought. "But as long as you don't try to chase the cars it's not that big of a deal."  
  
Oz just raised an eyebrow, wondering what sort of place this other wolf had lived in. If he took a similar view of humans as his wolf had of deer. "Chase many cars?"  
  
Lifting his jacket, which was a slightly worn velvet of a bluish purple color, the other wolf stopped. Sounding as if the idea had just occurred to him, he turned to look at Oz, not quite in the eyes. "Chase... you don't have control over your wolf, do you?"  
  
Oz just shook his head, keenly interested now. The idea of learning to control his wolf...  
  
"Right, apparently nobody taught you. I guess that means that I'll have to help you learn." He walked closer, offering one hand to Oz. "I'm Eddie Munster."  
  
Clasping the outstretched hand in his, Oz could feel the strength. Not terribly surprising, especially since Eddie had almost an entire foot more height to him "Oz."  
  
"All right then, Oz. I'll just have to help you learn all about werewolves. Maybe Grandpa and Uncle Lester can help with some of it..." Eddie shook his head. "Do you have a place to stay?"  
  
"Not really. I've been traveling. Got a van back at the parking lot." Oz rolled his right shoulder, feeling a bit of stiffness from sleeping on the ground and the coolness of the morning.  
  
Eddie grinned, showing very sharp looking white teeth. "Come home with me then. My family won't mind in the least, and we can help you get a grip on yourself."  
  
For a moment, Oz was silent and still, considering the offer. There didn't seem to be anything that it would gain Eddie, and the idea of control would improve everything for him. "Cool. Where to?"  
  
"1313 Mockingbird Lane." Eddie grinned, turning to face the path that Oz had taken to get here.  
  
Oz just nodded, starting the walk back to the van. Back to his shoes. "Sounds nice."  
  
"You'll love it. It's got character." Eddie was grinning, as if everything was good in the world.  
  
end Munster in the Woods. 


End file.
